The Buccaneers’ entire 2025 season was riding on Saturday’s matchup against the Panthers. And then it was riding entirely on the Falcons losing to the Saints on Sunday. Now it’s over, and the Buccaneers have officially been eliminated from winning the NFC South. The Carolina Panthers take the division crown.
The Bucs had lost four in a row, with consecutive losses to the Saints, Falcons, Panthers, and Dolphins, while the Panthers were fresh off a 27-10 whooping by the Seattle Seahawks. The Bucs hosted the matchup, and oddsmakers had them set as standard home favorites in Saturday’s NFC South clash. The Buccaneers won a close one, 16-14, to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
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It was a win or go home situation, since the Bucs’ losing streak had them leveled up with the third-place, eliminated Atlanta Falcons at 7-9 heading into Week 18. For the Buccaneers to sew up that last division winner playoff spot in the NFC, not only did they need to beat the Panthers, but they needed the Falcons to lose to the Saints. Atlanta’s head coach Raheem Morris is fighting to keep his job, so the Falcons were playing to win, and pulled it off, just barely, 19-17.
Here are the updated NFC South standings and the NFC playoff picture now that the Buccaneers have been eliminated.
Updated NFC South standings
Updated NFC playoff picture
1. Seattle Seahawks 13-3 (clinched playoff berth)
2. Chicago Bears 11-4 (clinched NFC North)
3. Philadelphia Eagles 10-5 (clinched NFC East)
4. Carolina Panthers 8-9 (clinched NFC South)
5. San Francisco 49ers 11-4 (clinched playoff berth)
6. Los Angles Rams 11-4 (clinched playoff berth)
7. Green Bay Packers 9-6-1 (clinched Wild Card spot)
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers *eliminated
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